(Washington, DC) The Georgetown University Hospital, in partnership with the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies and the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), will launch the Partnership for Workforce Innovation: Hospital and Outpatient Department Personnel Development Program, a training and employment program in the successful field of medical unit administration. A program and reception will be held on Monday, March 31, 2008 at the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, St. Mary’s Hall Lobby, 3700 Reservoir Road, NW. The public launch and reception will take place from 4 pm until 5:30 pm.
Made possible through a $500,000 grant from the DC City Council, the program is designed to train and employ 40 District residents as health unit coordinators. The program, a first of its kind, will train and employ participants at MedStar Health’s three DC facilities -- Georgetown University Hospital, The Washington Hospital Center, and the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Health unit coordinators provide medical order entries, respond to patient needs, code notifications, compile medical charts, and are the central point of contact for medical patients, visitors and health care professionals.
“We are very excited to partner with the District of Columbia and Georgetown University to expand our role as a teaching hospital,” said Dr, Drass, Georgetown University Hospital president, of the program. “This is a valuable opportunity to provide outstanding education to members of the community, to advance the quality of care provided by Georgetown University Hospital, and to continue to be a trusted leader in caring for people and advancing health.”
Speakers at the event will include Dr. Joy Drass, the Honorable David Catania, DC Councilmember At-Large, and DOES Director Summer Spencer. Mayor Adrian Fenty and other members of the DC City Council as well as the Georgetown University faculty have been invited.
The personnel development program will be divided into two sessions to better accommodate the 40 students. Each session will meet for 12 weeks, 30 hours each week, at the Georgetown University and Georgetown University Hospital. Students will receive training in the operation of nursing units and outpatient departments, hospital and medical terminology, computer skills, positive and effective communication and many other areas of hospital operations. They will work with a mentor who will provide day-to-day coordination as well as work under a Licensed Practical Nurse as their program director.
Summer Spencer, director of the Department of Employment Services, added, “Our partnership with the university and the hospital is the perfect collaboration of training expertise and employment opportunity within a demand occupation. I believe that this is a training model that can be replicated in other industries. I applaud the foresight of the City Council and Georgetown University.”
Candidates interested in enrolling into the program must be 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma or GED, and be computer literate. For more information, visit the Department of Employment Services’ website at DOES website or call (202) 724-7000.